NCAA allows student athletes to bet on professional sports
All three divisions of the association have approved the measure.
US.- The Division II Management Council of the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) has approved legislation to allow student athletes and athletics department staff members to bet on professional sports. The move means the change will be effective from November 1.
The change required approval by all three divisions. The Division I Cabinet approved the change earlier this month and the Division III Management Council this week.
The NCAA stressed that the prohibition against betting on college sports and sharing information about college competitions with bettors has not been modified. The change will also not impact rules prohibiting advertising and sponsorships associated with sports betting for NCAA Championships.
Roberta Page, director of athletics at Slippery Rock and chair of the Division II Management Council, said: “Our action reflects alignment across divisions while maintaining the principles that guide college sports. This change recognizes the realities of today’s sports environment without compromising our commitment to protecting the integrity of college competition or the well-being of student-athletes.”
The NCAA has begun investigating allegations against 13 former men’s basketball athletes from six universities for potential sports betting violations. The allegations vary and include student-athletes betting on and against their own teams, sharing information with third parties, manipulating outcomes and/or refusing to participate in the investigation.
